Sony said today that it will cut 1,000 jobs from its global workforce and sell a building it owns in Japan by the end of 2014. The number represents about a third of its global workforce. The 1,000 layoffs are part of a previously announced overall restructuring plan. Earlier in the week the company laid off some staff at its Santa Monica Studio (responsible for the God of War series) and that it would close 20 of its retail stores in the United States.

"While these moves were extremely tough, they were absolutely necessary to position us in the best possible place for future growth," Sony Electronics president and COO Mike Fasulo said in a statement. "I am entirely confident in our ability to turn the business around, in achieving our preferred future, and continue building on our flawless commitment to customer loyalty through the complete entertainment experience only Sony can offer."

The layoffs are part of the 5,000 jobs worldwide Sony announced it would cut earlier this month. On top of the job cuts, Sony said it will close 20 Sony Stores in the United States, leaving only 11 left in operation across the country. A breakdown of affected stores is available on Sony's website.

Sony also plans to sell its former Japanese headquarters for an estimated $146 million. This would be the third major real estate asset the company has sold in recent years; it sold its U.S headquarters for $1.1 billion and one of its major outfits in Tokyo for another $1.2 billion in February 2013.

This round of layoffs are not targeting its games division, according to several published reports.